The Crochet is really what it sounds like if you ever looked or have your self knitted… a Crochet hook is a comma fused to a needle, Another use Ive see for it is to reverse it and use it to disgorge hooks for fishing. Using the down force of the “comma” to free the fishing hook, then as the hook is released, the comma holds it hidden so it can be guided out without hurting the fish.

Anyway on my table, its a comma that is fastened to the front side of the bench near the Leg Vise.

You start out gluing up stock to make it with (more ash) for me.. (that makes it a 3 ply of ash that is 12/4 thick total) you want to be careful to LINE up the the grain as carefully as you can, so that it runs not only same way but if you are fortunate to have some figure in it to align that also. Glue up the stack and let it dry till its workable.

So here is the Post GLUE up with me wiping it with some DNA to show you the grain.

I took some measurements and came up with a template that I cut out and using it I aligned it so that I had the best grain pattern. To keep this from hurting your project piece and also from self destructing as you jam your piece into it. You need to align it so that the long grain is flowing along the inside edge of the crochet. I had that bit of figure in the pieces I saved for this and glued them up and then carefully placed the template on it and traced it out. (you’ll notice I to advantage of that bit of figure and placed the curve on it).

Then I cut it out on my Bandsaw

I used my Oscillating drum sander to clean it up and then I mounted it using the waste as a brace to drill the holes for the bolts (I used 5/8” x 4.5” with a washer that was 3/4”) You need to drill out the depth of the bolt head plus the washer with a 3/4 Fostner bit or a blade or what ever ya want that works, as long as the washer has room.

You then re-clamp (use something underneath it for tear out and drill the bolt through holes

Then you hold it to the bench, Use something to tap marking holes and drill starter holes into the bench side, Make sure your leg vice is as cloose to it as you can be with out interfering with it. Then you crank the bolts home. Here it what it looks like installed and me goofing off with some 8/4×10” x5’ Mahogany.

And here is what the dead man is really for… the entire bench being exercised… (next project you’ll see 8’ Pine being held in this for glue up.)

I then rubbed some BLO in it and then A really thin 2# cut of shellac… Bench is done!

R

-- Duct Tape is the Force! It has a light side and a dark side and it Binds the Universe together!